Picture mounting



July 1, 1930. A. E. TOUT 1,769,243

7 PICTURE MOUNTING Filed Sept. 1, 1926 BY W ATTORNEY Putt exitedv July 1-,,

PATENT OFFICE.

ANNA E. TOUT, OF OAKLAND, CALIFORNIA PICTURE MOUNTING Application filed September 1, 1926. Serial No. 132,969.

I 1 My invention relates to a combined picture mounting andilluminating means- An object of the invention is to provide a mounting fora picture arranged on a translucent screen which includes means for illuminating such picture from the rear,

thereof.

Another object of the invention is tOPIO- vide' a mounting of the class described which will occupy a space of minimum features of advantage, some of which, with the foregoing, will be 'set forth in the following description of the preferred forms of my invention which is illustrated in the drawings accompanying and forming part of the/specification. It is to be understood, however, that I do not limit myself to the showing made by the'said drawings and description, as I may adopt'variations of the preferred form within the scope of my in vention as set forth in the claim.

Referring to said drawings,

Figure 1 is a sectional plan view showing one embodiment ofthe mounting. operatively installed in a wall.

Figure 2 is a fragmentary front view of a portion of the 'mounting shown in Figurel. v a

Figure 3 is a sectional plan view of another embodiment of my invention operatively installed against a wall;

1 Figure A is a perspective view of the structure shown" in" Figure .5, a portion Y is presented at suchsurface.

thereof being broken away.

' In the embodiment particularly illustrated in Figures '1 and 2, the mounting of my invention is shown installed in a recess 6 provided in a wall structure 7, such recess extending no further than the inner side of the wall finish 8' at the back surface 9 of the wall, so that no evidence of the recess Mounted in the recess 6 and havin its forward edge llpreferably disposed 1n the plane of the front surface 12 of the wall is a casing 13, here shown slightly spaced from the walls defining the recess to permit the interposi-. tion of heat insulation material 14 between it and the recess walls. A frame 15, it will now benoted, carries the icture 16 which is to be displayed, such rame preferably being arran ed to have the back surface 17 thereof fit ush against the casing edge 11 and front wall surface 12, the opening 17 of the frame preferably being substantially the same size and shape as the opening provided at the front of the casing, and preferably being bevelled outwardly as shown. I The picture 16, it will now be noted, is arranged on the outer surface of a translucent screen member 18 and is otherwise so constituted as to be illuminable from the rear thereof. As here shown, the member 18 is mounted at the front face 19 of the frame and is countersunk therein so that the edge of its outer surface is flush with the surface of the frame at the juncture of such surfaces. The picture 16, it will be noted, is referably continued to the ed e of the mem er 18 and over the adjacent cut surface portion of the frame whereby an unilluminated picture 7 portion is provided around the edges of the picture, thereby effecting an illusion of depth in the picture as a' whole. To still heighten the effect of depth in the picture, the frame surface is preferably built out, as here shown, with a plastic composition 21 to present a relief continuation of the subject of the picture around the edges thereof.

The member 18 and the frame 15, it will be clear, constitute a unit and such unit is arranged to be removably mounted with the. central portion of the picture disposed in front of the casing opening. Fastening means 22 are accordingly provided for effecting such mounting of the picture unit, such means being of any suitable sort and preferably concealed. As here shown, the fastening means 22 comprises slotted plates 23 countersunk in the back of the frame and arranged to have portions thereof engaged behind the back of the heads of screws 24 fixed in the wall. Illumination of the picture, it will now be noted, is arranged to be effected by means of one or more electric lamps 26 mounted in the casing at the rear thereof, suitable reflectors 27 bein preferably provided in association with t e lights to assist in efiectin any desired distribution of the light from t e lamps against the rear of the picture. In this manner a picture mounting has been provided which is arranged to present a picture in a particularly pleasing and effective manner without the mounting structure bein evident, and without necessitating a thickened wall structure at the place of installation of the icture.

In the embodiment shown in igures 3 and 4, the picture and its mounting are arranged to be disposed entirely outwardly of a wall 31. In this embodiment, a casing 32 is provided having a back plate 33 arranged to be disposed flat against the wall 31 and to beremovably secured thereto by means of the engagement of the heads of screws 34 fixed in the wall and engaged in vertically disposed slots 36 having the lower portions thereof arranged to receive the screw heads andthe upper portions narrower so that the screw heads may engage forwardly of the plate in a well understood manner, a plurality of the slots 36, preferably being provided to permit different spacings of the screws 34. As here shown, the side walls 37 of the casing extend outwardly of the plate 33 and slope obliquely inwardly of the edges of such plate to define at their forward edge a rim 38 having the portions thereof preferably copular.

In the present embodiment, it will be noted, the picture carrying member 39 is carried by a frame 41 having the back of the portion 42 thereof adjacent the edges of the member 39 arranged to be positioned outwardly of the rim 38 and having a backwardly extending edge portion 43 thereof arranged to closely overlie the side walls 37 of the casing, the rearward edge 44 of the frame portion 43 preferably being disposed substantially against the surface of the wall 31. Suitable means are provided for securing the frame 41 to the casing and as here shown such means comprises the use of spring-pressed detents 46 carried by the walls 37 and arranged to engage in socket 47 provided on the frame portion 43, thus providing a concealed means for releasably fixing the frame to the casing. Lights 48 and re ectors 49 are provided in the casing compartment as'in the other embodiment. It will be obvious that the exposed surface of the frame may be shaped and finished in any suitable manner to avoid the suggestion of a special mounting.

In order to further improve the presentation ofthe various parts of the pictures to be displayed, I preferably treat the outer surface thereof with some frosting preparation, such device further assisting in concealing the source of illumination and softening the picture to enhance the effect of de th.

claim:-

A mounting for a picture ada ted to be illuminated from the rear thereo comprising a casing presenting an opening in a side thereof, means spaced from the edges of said opening releasably securing said picture thereacross, sources of illumination disposed in said casing whereby the picture portion across the opening may be directly illuminated, and relief continuations of said picture disposed adjacent margins of the picture to conceal said firstmeans whereby the unilluminated portion of the picture outside said casing may combine with said last means to heighten the effect of depth in said picture.

In testimony whereof, I have hereunto set my hand at Oakland, California, this 19th day of August, 1926.

ANNA E. TOUT. 

